Identified Flying Object

A few years ago when I was on holiday in Cornwall, I found a re-issue of an old seventies Airfix toy, the Arrowcopter.

This very simple but hugely effective toy lastyed me about 30 mins in a field behind the caravan, after disappearing into the troposphere on the first, rubber band powered launch. Despite frequent treks around the same field, annually - including this year - the Arrowcopter was never found. However, this year I came upon a smaller, modern version of the toy, made in Germany. The designers had obviously taken not of my plight and despite the toy being some two inches smaller, theyincluded an LED strapped to the base. I assumed that this was intended to make it easier to find the bugger after it shot int the heavens, but after I tried it one dark night recently, I realised what it was actually for.

A couple of quick flights in the garden were enough for me to see that the LED was in fact quite powerful, despite its tiny battery. Consequently, I ventured out into the large 3 acre field behind Marsbase and let rip. The band wasnt as powerful as the Arrowcopter, but it did manage to shoot the little toy into the night sky in a fabulous flare of blue light, like reverse lightning. Then, as it reached its apogee, it fell back, twirling on the copter blades. However taking a photo and launching at the same time, in the dark, was problematic!